Interleaved containers with a single lid

ABSTRACT

A container has a first vessel and a second vessel permanently secured to and inside the first vessel. The interior compartment of the second vessel is separated from the interior compartment of the first vessel. A lid is detachably securable to the container, and includes a first portion corresponding to the opening of the first vessel, closing off the container from its environment. A second portion of the lid is integrally formed with the first portion, corresponding to the opening of the second vessel&#39;s interior compartment. The second portion of the lid seals the second opening of the second vessel&#39;s interior compartment. The interior compartments of both vessels are preferably simultaneously accessible from a top side of the container. The base of the container is optionally sized and shaped to fit within the opening of the first vessel for nestable staking of plural like containers. Optionally or additionally, the base includes a recess, sized and shaped to receive the upstanding sidewall of the second vessel of another like container, for nestable stacking of plural like containers. In one particular embodiment, the container is formed of a material that is approved by the U.S.F.D.A. as suitable for contact with human food and/or is microwave-safe.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/734,939, filed 9 Nov. 2005, the complete disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by its reference for all purposes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a container, and in particular, to a container with multiple compartments with a single lid.

2. Description of the Art

Customers of food establishments, such as fast food vendors, often purchase several food items at one time. Similarly, purchased food items may include multiple parts, such as a main dish and a sauce. Food establishments often use individual sealed containers to package each of the multiple food items purchased by a customer. At other times, food establishments may use containers that have multiple compartments to package the multiple food items.

A disadvantage of packaging food items using multiple containers is that a customer must juggle the multiple containers while trying to eat the food, such as when the customer eats the food while standing or traveling. As for single containers with multiple compartments, these containers often have a single lid that covers the compartments but does not seal or separate the compartments from one another. As a result, as the customer carries the container to a desired location, for example, the multiple food items often become intermixed as the container is moved or bumped, for example. Other containers with multiple compartments will often use one or more plastic or foil wrappers, for example, to seal and thereby separate the individual compartments. However, a problem with these containers is that once the foil or plastic wrappers are removed, the compartments cannot be resealed.

Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a container that holds multiple food items and that seals the food items from one another.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to overcome these and other deficiencies in the prior art, provided according to an embodiment of the present invention is a container made up of a first vessel and a second vessel permanently secured to and inside the first vessel. The second vessel has an interior compartment separated from the interior compartment of the first vessel. A lid is detachably securable to the container, and includes a first portion corresponding to the opening of the first vessel, closing off the container from its environment. A second portion of the lid is integrally formed with the first portion, corresponding to the opening of the second vessel's interior compartment. The second portion of the lid seals the second opening of the second vessel's interior compartment. Preferably, the interior compartments of both vessels are simultaneously accessible from a top side of the container.

In a more particular embodiment, a first stepped protrusion extends from the second portion, sized and positioned to fit snugly within and thereby close off the opening of the second vessel's interior compartment. Alternately or additionally, the lid includes a stepped protrusion extending from the first portion, sized and positioned to fit snugly within and thereby close off the opening of the first vessel's interior compartment. The container may further include an outwardly projecting flare received within a lip extending downward from the outer periphery of the lid.

In a more particular embodiment, the base of the container is sized and shaped to fit within the first opening for nestable staking of plural like containers. Optionally or additionally, the base includes a recess, sized and shaped to receive the upstanding sidewall of the second vessel of another like container, for nestable stacking of plural like containers. The recess may be closed off on one side thereof by the base of the second vessel.

In another particular embodiment, the container is formed of a material which is approved by the U.S. F.D.A. as suitable for contact with human food. More preferrably, the container is formed of a material which is microwave-safe.

Also provided according to the present invention is a lid for detachably sealing plural compartments of a container having the same. The lid includes a first portion corresponding to an opening of a first compartment, sealing the first compartment of the container from its environment. A second portion of the lid is integrally formed with the first portion, and corresponds to a second opening of a second interior compartment of the container. The second portion is sized and shaped to sealingly engage the second opening of the second interior compartment. The lid may also include a lip extending downward from the outer periphery thereof, sized and shaped to receive the rim of the container. In a particular embodiment, the lid includes a first stepped projection extending from the second portion, sized and positioned to fit snugly within and thereby close off the second opening of the second interior compartment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A shows a front perspective view of an example container according to the present invention.

FIG. 1B shows an underside perspective view of an example lid for the container of FIG. 1A according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a cross sectional front view of the container of FIG. 1A and the lid of FIG. 1B attached to the container according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows a bottom side perspective view of the container of FIG. 1A according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows multiple containers of FIG. 1A in a stacked configuration according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows a cross sectional front view of another example container and lid according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows a cross sectional front view of the container of FIG. 1A and another example lid attached to the container according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows a cross sectional front view of another example container and lid according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, there is illustrated a front perspective view of an example container 100 and an underside perspective view of a corresponding example lid 200 according to an embodiment of the invention. Container 100 includes two or more interleaved vessels, such as vessel 300 and vessel 400. Vessel 300 has a rim 302 that forms an opening to an interior compartment 304 of the vessel. Vessel 300 is enclosed along the bottom and sides thereof thereby allowing items, such as food or a beverage, to be placed and retained within interior compartment 304. Similar to vessel 300, vessel 400 also has a rim 402 that forms an opening to an interior compartment 404 of the vessel. Vessel 400 is also enclosed along the bottom and sides thereof thereby allowing items, such as food or a beverage, to be placed and retained within interior compartment 404.

According to an embodiment of the invention, vessel 400 is smaller than vessel 300 and is secured within the interior compartment 304 of vessel 300. Preferably, vessel 400 is oriented within vessel 300 such that the interior compartments 304 and 404 of the vessels are simultaneously accessible from a top side 101 of container 100, for example, and such that items placed within the interior compartments do not readily intermix with one another. For example, as shown in FIG. 1A, vessel 300 and vessel 400 may be configured in an upright orientation relative to each other such that rims 302 and 402 lie within the same plane or parallel planes. In this way, when container 100 is maintained in an upright orientation for example, items within the interior compartments 304 and 404 of the vessels are simultaneously accessible and do not intermix. As shown in FIG. 1A, vessel 400 may be situated within the center of vessel 300, although this orientation is not required. For example, vessel 400 may be positioned towards one side of vessel 300.

Turning to lid 200, the lid is configured to be detachably placed over the top side 101 of container 100 and in particular, over the openings of both vessels 300 and 400, thereby simultaneously covering interior compartments 304 and 404. Preferably, lid 200 is configured such that when the lid is placed over interior compartments 304 and 404, the lid attaches to container 100 in a manner that prevents the lid from readily detaching from the container and exposing the interior compartments as the container is moved or bumped, for example. In addition, lid 200 is also preferably configured such that when the lid is attached to the container, the lid seals the interior compartments 304 and 404 so that the items in each interior compartment do not readily spill from container 100 and do not readily intermix between the vessels as the container is moved or bumped, for example. Furthermore, lid 200 is also preferably configured to be removed from and reattached to container 100 in a repeatable fashion, resealing the interior compartments 304 and 404 each time the lid is reattached to the container.

As shown in FIG. 1A, vessels 300 and 400 may each have a circular/cylindrical shape, for example, although this shape is not required and other shapes such as squares/rectangles may be used. In addition, vessels 300 and 400 may each have the same general shape, as shown in FIG. 1A, or each vessel may have a different shape. Similarly, lid 200 may have a circular shape, as shown in FIG. 1B, or may have some other shape. In addition, lid 200 may or may not have the same general shape as vessels 300 and 400.

One skilled in the art will recognize that vessels 300 and 400 are not limited to a specific size. In particular, vessel 300 may have different sizes depending on the particular application and vessel 400 may have different sizes relative to vessel 300 depending on the particular application.

Vessels 300 and 400 and lid 200 may be formed from any suitable material known in the art including, for example, plastic, Styrofoam, paper, wax coated paper, cardboard, metal, or some combination thereof. Preferably, the material chosen is among those approved by the U.S.F.D.A. as suitable for contact with human ford, and/or those known in the art to be microwave-safe. In addition, vessel 300, vessel 400, and lid 200 do not need to be formed of the same material. If container 100 is used to hold food items or beverages for example, vessels 300 and 400 and lid 200 may be formed from materials such that each vessel may retain hot substances, cold substances, or a combination of hot and cold substances, one in each vessel. Furthermore, vessel 300 and/or vessel 400 and/or lid 200 may be made of an insulator type material in order to maintain the temperature of hot and cold substances.

In an example method according to an embodiment of the invention, a user of container 100 may place a first item or liquid into interior compartment 304 of vessel 300 and a second item or liquid into interior compartment 404 of vessel 400. As indicated above, the interior compartments of both vessels are preferably separate from one another so that the item placed in one vessel does not readily intermix with the item placed in the other vessel. Thereafter, lid 200 may be placed over the interior compartments 304 and 404, preferably sealing both interior compartments and thereby preventing the first and second items from spilling from container 100 and also preventing the items from intermixing. Container 100 may then be moved to a desired location and/or stored, for example. Thereafter, lid 200 may be removed from container 100, thereby providing access to both interior compartments 304 and 404. Lid 200 may then once again be placed over the interior compartments 304 and 404, resealing both compartments.

In an example use of container 100 according to an embodiment of the invention, food establishments, such as fast food vendors, may use container 100 to serve food. Here, container 100 may come in different sizes, such as small, medium, and large. As an example, a vendor may place two different food items and/or beverages into interior compartments 304 and 404 of vessels 300 and 400, including both hot and/or cold food items and beverages. The vendor may then seal the vessels with lid 200. Thereafter, the customer may carry container 100 to a desired location with lid 200 preventing the food items or beverages from intermixing and from spilling from container 100. The customer may then remove lid 200, thereby exposing both interior compartments 304 and 404. The customer may thereafter hold container 100 with one hand while eating the food with the other hand. If the customer does not finish the food, for example, the customer may thereafter reattach lid 200 to container 100, thereby resealing the interior compartments.

Alternately or additionally, the container 100 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention can be used in packing retail prepared foods. The container 100 may be resealed after opening, and advantageously maintains the contents of each container vessel separate from each other.

Advantageously, because vessels 300 and 400 are secured to each other, the customer does not need to juggle multiple containers while eating the multiple food items. In addition, because lid 200 seals interior compartments 304 and 404, the customer may move container 100 without the food items becoming intermixed. Furthermore, because lid 200 can be reattached to the container, the customer can reseal the interior compartments 304 and 404 after each use. Because the container 100 of the preferred embodiment includes plural compartments that are separate from one another, less desirable alternatives for carrying two separate food products, such as stacking two separate containers on one another, or placing a second container directly into a food item held in a first container, can be obviated. The food products in each vessel are isolated from one another, improving the sanitary condition of both.

One skilled in the art will recognize that while container 100 is described above as being used by food establishments and as holding multiple food items and/or beverages for example, container 100 is not limited to these uses.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is illustrated a cross sectional side view of example container 100 and lid 200 according to an embodiment of the invention. Note that FIG. 2 shows lid 200 attached to the top side 101 of container 100. Beginning with vessel 300, the vessel may include a base 306, upstanding sidewalls 308 attached to base 306, and a rim 302. Preferably, base 306 is flat thereby allowing container 100 to be securely placed on a table, for example. Vessel 400 may include a base 406, upstanding sidewalls 408 attached to base 406, and a rim 402. As shown in FIG. 2, base 406 may be raised above base 306 by sidewalls 310, thereby forming a cavity 102 on the bottom side 103 of container 100. Cavity 102 is also shown in FIG. 3, which is a bottom side perspective view of container 100. As further described below, cavity 102 allows for the stacking of multiple containers 100.

Accordingly, the combination of sidewalls 308, sidewalls 310, and base 306 form the interior compartment 304 of vessel 300 and the combination of sidewalls 408 and base 406 form the interior compartment 404 of vessel 400, for example. As described above, the interior compartments 304 and 404 of the two vessels are preferably separate from one another so that items placed within the interior compartments of the two vessels do not readily intermix.

As indicated above, vessels 300 and 400 are not limited to a specific size and shape. For example, sidewalls 408 and base 406 of vessel 400 may be configured relative to sidewalls 308 and 310 and base 306 of vessel 300 such that the volume of interior compartment 404 is substantially smaller than the volume of interior compartment 304. Alternatively, the two interior compartments may have approximately the same volume, for example.

As shown in FIG. 2, bases 306 and 406 and sidewalls 308, 310, and 408 of the two vessels may be formed as one composite unit, integrally molded from a single material such as plastic, Styrofoam, etc., for example. In this way, vessel 400 is permanently secured within the interior compartment 304 of vessel 300. Nonetheless, one skilled in the art will recognize that the two vessels do not need to be formed in this fashion. For example, sidewalls 308 and 310 and base 306 may be formed as one integral unit and sidewalls 408 and base 406 may be formed as a second integral unit. The two units may thereafter be permanently secured to one another using an epoxy or the like, for example, thereby forming container 100.

According to an embodiment of the invention, multiple containers 100 are stackable in order to save space when the containers are not in use, for example. As such, as shown in FIG. 2, sidewalls 308 and 310, for example, of vessel 300 may be configured at a slant/angle with sidewalls 308 slanting inward as the sidewalls progress from the top side 101 of container 100 towards the bottom side 103 and with sidewalls 310 slanting outward as the sidewalls progress from the top side of the container towards the bottom side. Through the combination of these slanting sidewalls and cavity 102, multiple containers 100 may be stacked, as shown by stacked containers 100 a and 100 b in FIG. 4, for example. As seen in FIG. 4, cavity 102 of container 100 a receives sidewalls 408 of container 100 b and interior compartment 304 of container 100 b receives sidewalls 308 and 310 and base 306 of container 100 a, thereby allowing the containers to be stacked.

One skilled in the art will recognize that the configuration of sidewalls 308, 310, and 408 and bases 306 and 406 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 is for example purposes only and other configurations may be used in order to form stackable containers. One skilled in the art will also recognize that the configuration of the sidewalls and bases may be varied in order to determine how tightly multiple containers 100 may be stacked within one another. For example, if space is an issue, base 406 may be shifted upward relative to base 306, thereby increasing the size of cavity 102 and decreasing the size of interior compartment 404. In this way, multiple containers 100 may be more tightly stacked within one another. Alternatively, if space is not an issue for example, base 406 may be shifted downward relative to base 306, thereby decreasing the size of cavity 102 and increasing the size of interior compartment 404. In this way, multiple containers 100 may be less tightly stacked within one another.

One skilled in the art will also recognize that container 100 does not need to be stackable. For example, referring to FIG. 5 there is shown example container 100 c according to another embodiment of the invention. Container 100 c is similar to container 100 but has sidewalls that are vertically oriented rather than slanted, for example, and does not include a cavity 102.

Referring again to lid 200, as described above, the lid preferably attaches to container 100 so that the lid does not readily detach from the container when the container is moved or bumped, for example. In addition, the lid preferably seals the interior compartments 304 and 404 of the two vessels, preventing items therein from intermixing and from spilling from container 100. Furthermore, the lid can preferably be removed from and reattached to container 100, resealing the interior compartments each time the lid is reattached.

According to an embodiment of the invention and as shown in FIG. 1B and FIG. 2, lid 200 may include on the underside thereof a stepped protrusion 202 that has a shape that substantially conforms to the opening of vessel 400 as formed by rim 402. As shown in FIG. 2, when lid 200 is placed over the interior compartments 304 and 404, rim 402 of vessel 400 preferably fits snuggly around stepped protrusion 202, or in other words, stepped protrusion 202 preferably fits snuggly within the opening of vessel 400. In this way, lid 200 seals the interior compartment 404 of vessel 400, thereby preventing items within the two interior compartments 304 and 404 from intermixing.

As also shown in FIG. 1B and FIG. 2, lid 200 may also include around the outer periphery thereof a substantially U-shaped lip 204 that snaps over rim 302 of vessel 300. Rim 302 of vessel 300 may also include an outward projecting flare 305, for example, over which lip 204 may snap. In this way, lid 200 secures to container 100 preventing the easy detachment of the lid as the container is moved or bumped, for example. In addition, the snap fit of lid 200 to rim 302 also seals the interior compartment 304 of vessel 300, preventing the items therein from spilling from container 100. Furthermore, the snap fit of lid 200 also allows the lid to be removed from container 100 and reattached to the container, resealing interior compartments 304 and 404.

Referring now to FIG. 6 there is shown an example lid 200 a according to another embodiment of the invention. Lid 200 a is similar to lid 200 and may further include on the underside thereof a second stepped protrusion 206 that further seals the interior compartment 304 of vessel 300. Stepped protrusion 206 may have a shape that substantially conforms to the opening of vessel 300 as formed by rim 302. As shown in FIG. 6, when lid 200 a is placed over the interior compartments 304 and 404, rim 302 of vessel 300 preferably fits snuggly around stepped protrusion 206, or in other words, stepped protrusion 206 preferably fits snuggly within the opening of vessel 300.

One skilled in the art will recognize that the above described mechanisms for detachably securing lid 200 (and similarly 200 a) to container 100 (and similarly 100 c) and for sealing interior compartments 304 and 404 are examples and any mechanism known in the art for both securing lid 200 to container 100 and for sealing the compartments may be used.

One skilled in the art will also recognize that while container 100 (and similarly 100 c) is described above as having two vessels, container 100 may include more than two vessels in various configurations. For example, the multiple vessels may all be interleaved one inside the other. For example, vessel 400 may be secured within the interior compartment 304 of vessel 300 as described above and a third vessel may be secured within interior compartment 404 of vessel 400, etc. Alternatively, multiple vessels may be secured in a non-interleaved arrangement within the interior compartment 304 of vessel 300, for example. One skilled in the art will recognize that other configurations are possible. Regardless of the configuration of the vessels, a lid similar to lid 200 or 200 a, for example, preferably detachably secures to the container and seals the interior compartments of the multiple vessels, preventing items within each vessel from intermixing and from spilling from the container.

One skilled in the art will further recognize that while vessel 400 is preferably secured within vessel 300 of container 100 (and similarly 100 c), the two vessels do not need to be permanently secured to one another as was described above. For example, referring to FIG. 7 there is shown an example container 100 d according to another embodiment of the invention. Here, vessel 300 may be formed as one integral unit from sidewalls 308 and base 306 and vessel 400 may be formed as a second integral unit from sidewalls 408 and base 406. The two vessels may in turn be detachably secured at the adjacent faces of bases 306 and 406 using an interlocking mechanism 104, such as clips, for example. Such a configuration may be useful if container 100 d is of a reusable form, thereby simplifying the cleaning of the two vessels.

Although the present invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments thereof, many other variations and modifications and other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is preferred, therefore, that the present invention be limited not by the specific disclosure herein. 

1. A container comprising: a first vessel having a first interior compartment enclosed along the bottom thereof by a first base and along a periphery thereof by a first upstanding sidewall extending upward from the first base to a first rim of the first vessel, the first rim defining a first opening into the first interior compartment; a second vessel permanently secured to the first vessel and within the first interior compartment thereof, the second vessel having a second interior compartment separated from the first interior compartment, the second interior compartment enclosed along a bottom thereof by a second base and along a periphery thereof by a second upstanding sidewall extending upward from the second base to a second rim of the second vessel, the second rim defining a second opening into the second interior compartment; and a lid detachably securable to the container having a first portion corresponding to the first opening and closing off the container from the environment of the container, and a second portion corresponding to the second opening integrally formed with the first portion, wherein the second portion seals the second opening of the second interior compartment.
 2. The container according to claim 1, the lid further comprising a first stepped protrusion extending from the second portion, the first stepped protrusion sized and positioned to fit snugly within and thereby close off the second opening of the second interior compartment.
 3. The container according to claim 1, the lid further comprising a second stepped protrusion extending from the first portion, the second stepped protrusion sized and positioned to fit snugly within and thereby close off the first opening of the first interior compartment.
 4. The container according to claim 1, further comprising an outwardly projecting flare extending from the first upstanding sidewall and received within a lip extending downward from the outer periphery of the lid.
 5. The container according to claim 1, wherein the first base is sized and shaped to fit within the first opening for nestable stacking of plural like containers.
 6. The container according to claim 1, wherein the first base comprises a recess formed therein, the recess sized and shaped to receive the second upstanding sidewall of another like container for nestable stacking of plural like containers.
 7. The container according to claim 6, wherein the recess is closed off on one side thereof by the second base.
 8. The container according to claim 1, wherein the first interior compartment and second interior compartment are simultaneously accessible from a top side of the container.
 9. The container according to claim 1, wherein the first and second rims are substantially coplanar.
 10. The container according to claim 1, wherein the container is formed of a material which is microwave-safe.
 11. The container according to claim 1, wherein the container is formed of a material which is approved by the U.S. F.D.A. as suitable for contact with human food.
 12. A lid for detachably sealing plural compartments of a container having the same, the lid comprising: a first portion corresponding to a first opening of a first compartment of the container, and sealing the first compartment of the container from the environment of the container; and a second portion corresponding to a second opening of a second interior compartment of the container, integrally formed with the first portion, sized and shaped to sealingly engage the second opening of the second interior compartment.
 13. The lid according to claim 12, further comprising a lip extending downward from the outer periphery of the lid sized and shaped to receive a first rim of the container.
 14. The lid according to claim 12, further comprising a first stepped projection extending from the second portion, the first stepped projection sized and positioned to fit snugly within and thereby close off the second opening of the second interior compartment. 